MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation VANGUARD UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Course Syllabus Fall 2015 Title:

MUSC 270 – Introduction to Jazz Improvisation

Credits:

2.0 Units

Instructor:

Instructor Name: Dr. Kenneth Foerch office phone: 714-619-6415 e-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours:

Fine Arts 107 posted schedule and by appointment

Class Hours:

MW 2:25-3:15 PM, Hth 001

Final Exam:

Friday, December 11, 2015 3:30-5:30pm

Required Course Materials:  Text: Jamey Aeborsold Vol. 21 ISBN-13: 978-1-56224-176-6
 ISBN-10: 1-56224-176-1
 UPC-A: 635621000216  Audio Recorder  “Transcribe” software, Get it from http://www.seventhstring.com/ or other similar.  Whiteboard Material: Provided by Professor Course Description: Prerequisite: Faculty Approval. Basic techniques in improvisation, beginning with simple question and answer phrases and progressing to extended solos. Development of modal and ii-V-I chord progressions through instrumental and vocal performance. Additional Course Information: This course addresses jazz improvisation through guided performance practices. The student upon course completion will have the tools to create jazz melodies at a simple harmonic level. Harmonically, the course starts with the major ionian mode and ends with the ii-V7-I chord progression. The teaching methodology involves rotating three areas of study. First the student practices a jazz ‘pattern, lick or cliché’, then transcribes portions of famous improvised solos and finally performs their own improvisations to pre-recorded play-along tracks. Student Learning Outcomes: STUDENTS WILL…

ACTIVITY/ASSESSMENT

Transcribe aurally presented musical excerpts into melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic notation

ACTIVITY: Transcribe famous improvised jazz solos

Identify how to build an affective solo through imitation and transcribing.

ASSESSMENT: Written work reviewed and graded Perform Mid-Term Exam

Music Department SLO’s CCTC Domains

Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 1 Artistic Perception 1.1a

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation Analyze and describe the form, style, and expressive elements of a musical example.

ACTIVITY: Transcribe famous improvised jazz solos

Obtain a working knowledge of musical forms common to beginning jazz improvisation. Demonstrate competence on a primary instrument or with voice by performing individually with appropriate expression and good musicianship skills

ASSESSMENT: Written work reviewed and graded ACTIVITY: Textbook and in class demonstration

Communicate with their instruments an improvised solo. Understand and demonstrate how to create melodic and rhythmic improvisations Basic jazz improvisation techniques, methods, and performance techniques Identify and describe stylistic differences in jazz music from various cultures and historical periods of beginning jazz music literature Evaluate a performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it ith an exemplary model. Understand how their Christian faith can impact their standards in Improvisation.

ASSESSMENT: Perform assignments before teacher and peers ACTIVITY: Transcribe one hour a day ASSESSMENT: Perform assignments at play-along recorded tempo ACTIVITY: Textbook, handouts, transcriptions ASSESSMENT: Written and Perform ACTIVITY: Textbook, handouts, transcriptions ASSESSMENT: Written and Listen Lecture

Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 1 Artistic Perception 1.1c Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 2 Creative Expression 2.1a

Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 2 Creative Expression 2.5a Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 3 Historical and Cultural Foundations 3.1a Music Literacy CCTC: Domain 4 Aesthetic Valuing 4.1b Critical Analysis

ASSESSMENT: Classroom participation

Course Requirements and Expectations: Students are expected to practice and or transcribe one hour a day. The students are expected to come to class prepared to perform the assignments at the play-along recorded tempo. Late written assignments and transcription excerpts will be marked down one letter grade per class. No make-up performance tests or written exams will be given unless for a medical or family emergency. Course Design: Because of the nature of the class and different strengths of student abilities, the course syllabus will reflect ability of the students in current semester. Class participation: Your participation is crucial in attaining your objective in this class. I will deduct from your overall grade up to 10% for non-participation.

Required Course Materials:  Text: Chop Monster 1 for specific instrument (available at jwpepper.com)  Text: Jamey Aeborsold Vol. 21 ISBN-13: 978-1-56224-176-6
 ISBN-10: 1-56224-176-1
 UPC-A: 635621000216   

Audio Recorder “Transcribe” software, Get it from http://www.seventhstring.com/ or other similar. Blackboard Material: Provided by Professor

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation  Topics covered: Major Scale Dorian Mode (modal) Major Pentatonic Minor Pentatonic Blues Scale Be-Bop Scale Major ii7/V7 Progression Minor ii7/V7 Progression  Tunes covered: “So What” “Watermellon Man” The blues form “Tune Up” Rhythm Changes “Blue Bossa” “Take The A-Train” “”Autumn Leaves”  Week One Monday, Introduction to course 1. Assign 4 bar major pattern from page 51-57 Aeborsold Vol. 21, track 1 and 2. 2. Explore all major tracks 1-9 making sure you put chord tones on the down beats.  Week Two 1. Perform Aeborsold Vol. 21 track 1 and 2 2. Introduce the major pentatonic scale 3. Be able to make the appropriate note changes to track 11 Major to parallel Minor. 4. (Wednesday) Bring into class a recording of your favorite jazz artist.  Week Three (Wednesday) 1. Practice a 2 bar major dorian pattern along with the play along track 11 and change the lick to minor on the second two bars. 2. Introduce minor pentatonic 3. Start transcribing Miles Davis’s solo from “So What” 4. Sing a solo to “So What”  Week Four 1. Play minor pattern to track 18-24, utilize the minor pentatonic 3. Sing a solo transcription due to “So What” for Wednesday’s class 4. Miles’s solo transcriptions due on “So What”, be able to play along memorized and have a written copy Wednesday 5. Start transcribing Freddie Hubbard’s solo to “Watermelon Man” Performance Test #1 (Wednesday) 6. Improvise your own solo in the style of Miles Davis utilizing the following: Play a pattern in your solo Use a sequence Use a Miles quote Use the pentatonic scale

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation 

Week Five 1. Introduce the Be-Bop Scale over the V7 chord. 2. Introduce the Blues Scale 3. Be able to play chord tones on the down beats (Major/Minor/Dominant) over track 4. Play “Watermellon Man” 5. Start transcribing Freddie Hubbard solo 6. Sing a solo to “Watermellon Man

12.

 Week Six “Watermelon Man” Continued 1. Due Freddie Hubbard solo 2. Singing solo  Week Seven The 12-Bar Blues 1. Start transcribing one chorus of a blues solo on blackboard 2. Sing the blues 2. Watch for the 7/3 voice leading lines  Week Eight 1. Play the blues, 2. Blues transcription due 3. Singing transcription due  Week Nine Turn Around Progression ii-V7-I 1. Perform a turn around pattern in all keys using the play along on Blackboard (Vol 3 Aeborsold, track 1) 2. Introduce “Tune-Up”. 3. Watch for the 7/3 voice leading lines  Week Ten 1. Improvise to “Rhythm Changes” 2. Watch for the Dominant 7th cycle 3. Transcribe solo to “Rhythm Changes” 4. Sing solo to “Rhythm Changes”  Week Eleven Rhythm continued Week Nine Rhythm transcribed solo due Singing solo due  Week Twelve “Blue Bossa”  Week Thirteen 1. Improvise to “Take the ‘A’Train” 2. Watch for the 7/3 voice leading lines 

Week Fourteen

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation 1. Improvise to “Autumn Leaves” 2. The minor ii/V7 chord progression  Week Fifteen TBD Prepare for the performance exam Wednesday, Performance Exam #2 Final Exam:

Grading:

Friday, December 11, 2015 3:30-5:30pm

Grading Scale: A = 93-100% A- =90-92% B+ = 87-89% B = 83-86% B- = 80- 82% C+ = 77-79% C = 73-76% C- = 70-72% D+ = 67-69% D = 63-66% D- = 60-62% F = 59% and below Grade distribution: 10 points – Playtests 10 points – Assignments 20 points – Quizzes 20 points – Midterm Exam 30 points - Final Exam 10 points – Attendance and participation 100 points total

Use of Electronics You may use computers to take notes.

Late Work Late papers and reflective essays are accepted with a 3-point deduction per day late. Quizzes, grammar presentations, library sessions, & other in-class participation work CANNOT be made up.

Class participation: Your participation is crucial in attaining your objective in this class. I will deduct from your overall grade up to 10% for non-participation. Attendance Policy -- Statement from Vanguard University Academic Catalog Regular and punctual class attendance is expected and is essential to optimum academic achievement. Students in lower division classes are given an “F” for any course in which they have been absent more than one-fifth of the scheduled class meetings. Attendance requirements in upper division classes are established by each instructor. Absences occasioned by participation in a college-approved activity (e.g. field trips, athletic contests) are governed by the following: 1. Students are responsible for initiating the process of makeup work. Work must be submitted when due whether or not the student is present.

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation 2. Scheduled events (games, concerts, tournaments) constitute an excuse to miss class; however, practices do not. 3. Students should clear their class schedules with coaches or directors before registering for classes to minimize potential conflicts. 4. Missed classes for authorized events will count toward the one-fifth absence allowance. Student athletes and others affected by excused absences should be particularly careful not to miss other class sessions for unauthorized reasons. 5. Students shall not be penalized for missing class for authorized college activities by loss of attendance points. On the rare occasion it would be impossible to make up a missed class or lab; the student should miss the activity and not be penalized by the coach or director.

Academic Honesty Academic dishonesty, either cheating or plagiarizing (presenting as one’s own, the words or opinions of others), is regarded as a serious violation of both the academic and moral standards of VUSC. Dishonesty in a class assignment or test may result in disciplinary action ranging from a failing grade on the assignment or test to dismissal from the program. It is the prerogative and responsibility of the instructor to determine if academic dishonesty has occurred and the seriousness of the infraction. The Dean and Provost are to be notified of instances of academic dishonesty. Please also refer to the “Statement on Plagiarism” appearing in this syllabus.

Writing Center – Heath 214 Writing Center Consultants work with students one-on-one at any stage of the writing process. They can help organize notes, develop outlines, revise thesis statements, and work on various aspects of your revision. Our Christ-centered, culturally responsive, collaborative learning environment offers constructive feedback with the long-term goals of improved writing and critical thinking skills. The Writing Center is located in Heath 241 and is available Monday Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays, 9a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed during Chapel Hour. Appointments are required. STATEMENT ON PLAGIARISM from Vanguard University Academic Catalog Definitions To plagiarize is to present someone else’s work—his or her words, line of thought, or organizational structure—as our own. This occurs when sources are not cited properly, or when permission is not obtained from the original author to use his or her work. By not acknowledging the sources that are used in our work, we are wrongfully taking material that is not our own. Plagiarism is thus an insidious and disruptive form of dishonesty. It violates relationships with known classmates and professors, and it violates the legal rights of people we may never meet. Another person’s “work” can take many forms: printed or electronic copies of computer programs, musical compositions, drawings, paintings, oral presentations, papers, essays, articles or chapters, statistical data, tables or figures, etc. In short, if any information that can be considered the intellectual property of another is used without acknowledging the original source properly, this is plagiarism. 1. Minimal plagiarism is defined as doing any of the following without attribution: a. inserting verbatim phrases of 2-3 distinctive words. b. substituting synonyms into the original sentence rather than rewriting the complete sentence. c. reordering the clauses of a sentence. d. imitating the sentence, paragraph, or organizational structure, or writing style of a source. e. using a source’s line of logic, thesis or ideas. 2. Substantial plagiarism is defined as doing any of the following without attribution: a. inserting verbatim sentences or longer passages from a source. b. combining paraphrasing with verbatim sentences to create a paragraph or more of text. c. repeatedly and pervasively engaging in minimal plagiarism. 3. Complete plagiarism is defined as doing any of the following without attribution: a. submitting or presenting someone’s complete published or unpublished work (paper, article, or chapter). b. submitting another student’s work for an assignment, with or without that person’s knowledge or consent. c. using information from a campus file of old assignments. d. downloading a term paper from a web site. e. buying a term paper from a mail order company or web site. f. reusing or modifying a previously submitted paper (e.g., from another course) for a present assignment without obtaining prior approval from the instructors involved.

MUSC 270: Introduction to Jazz Improvisation Consequences Minimal plagiarism. When instances of minimal plagiarism are detected, the instructor can use these situations as an educational opportunity to discuss with the student the nature of plagiarism and the values of a scholarly, Christian community. At the professor’s discretion, assignments may be rewritten and resubmitted, with or without a grade penalty. Repeated instances of minimal plagiarism may, at the professor’s discretion, be treated as substantial plagiarism. If the professor plans to exercise his or her discretion in cases of minimal plagiarism, procedures and consequences should be clearly described in the course syllabus. Substantial plagiarism. For a first offense, the student typically receives a failing grade on the assignment that has been plagiarized, and a Report of Plagiarism (see Appendix D) is submitted to the Provost’s Office. For a second offense, the student typically receives a failing grade in the course, and a Report of Plagiarism is submitted to the Provost’s Office. For a third offense the student should be recommended for expulsion from the University. Action is taken at the discretion of the Provost. Complete plagiarism. For a first offense, the student typically receives a failing grade in the course, and Report of Plagiarism is submitted to the Provost’s Office. For a second offense, the student is typically expelled from the college. Action is taken at the discretion of the Provost. TUTORIAL CENTER SYLLABUS STATEMENT The Tutorial and Math Learning Centers promote academic excellence by providing study support services to undergraduate and PS Statistics Vanguard students. Tutorial services are staffed by Vanguard students who are exemplary students with the ability to facilitate learning for their peers. We provide two hours of tutoring per week per subject at no cost to the student. The Tutorial and Math Learning Center is located in Scott 295 and is open Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oneon-One Tutoring can be requested by calling 714.619.6479, coming to the center in person, emailing [email protected], or filling out a request form http://www.vanguard.edu/services/request-tutoring. CLASSROOM DIVERSITY STATEMENT

As students and faculty at Vanguard University of Southern California, and foremost as Christian believers, we endeavor to communicate with honesty and confidentiality, to speak with encouraging and edifying words, and to create a safe environment where we shelter one another with love when vulnerabilities arise. This classroom intends to foster a Christcentered community that promotes appreciation and respect for individuals, enhances the potential of its members, and values differences in gender, ethnicity, race, abilities, and generation. The university expects its students to excel in four diversity learning outcomes: • Knowledge: Demonstrates knowledge of multiple cultural perspectives and global experiences by articulating the value of diversity through reports, presentations, examinations, field-work, and discipline-appropriate projects. • Self-Examination: Examines one’s own attitudes, values, and assumptions and examines their impact. Evaluates one’s own attitudes, assumptions, and behavior towards diversity concerns and issues by recognizing, examining, and challenging underlying assumptions and prejudices through coursework such as self-reflective essays, reading responses, and journal entries, with the recognition that such work is a life-long endeavor. • Personal Engagement: Engages others with civility, empathy, honesty and responsibility with awareness of equity issues such as power dynamics and social privilege in these interactions. Demonstrates respectful and appropriate behavior when interacting with people of different genders, generation, ethnicity, race, national origin, socioeconomic status, and ability by developing sensitivity to equity issues (such as power dynamics and social privilege) through field experience, research, and analytical reading and writing. • Social Engagement: Challenges past, present and future discrimination and privilege of individuals, societies, groups and institutions. Identifies and begins to seek out transformative and redemptive opportunities in the church, in society, and in the evolving realities of global change through academic, co-curricular, internship, and vocational opportunities.

Syllabus Disability Statement 2015-2016 DISABILITY SERVICES: The Office of Disability and Learning Services provides reasonable accommodations for students who need assistance with learning, and for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your professor(s) and Disability and Learning Services. If you have a temporary or permanent disability that requires accommodations (this can include but not limited to; attention-related, learning, mental health, vision, hearing, physical or other health conditions), please contact The Office of Disability and Learning Services at 714-619-6550 or [email protected]